Drive Like a Surgeon

Before the wheel, we could simply use our legs to get from one place to another. Then the bicycle came along and we could pedal to our heart’s content across the pavement. It wasn’t until 1896 that bicycle mechanics and brothers James and Charles Duryea created Massachusett’s first gas-powered car. From then on, it was off to the races, and in just three years the first pedestrian death would foreshadow the new age of driving. Driving has been integrated into our lives for a little over 128 years and counting. We have made progress in many areas of driving, however, joining the race is not as safe as you would think. About 120 people die each day in the U.S. from driving accidents. That chilling number adds up to around 44,500 deaths per year which in 15 years would account for more deaths total than the American Civil War. Driving a car is a serious privilege and it can be revoked if you are even slightly reckless. We need driving education and we must take action to prevent all the vehicle fatalities we can.

Driving education is crucial in becoming an attentive and defensive driver. We learn what to pay attention to, such as signals and signs, and what not to pay attention to, such as our phone. We are also taught important concepts including wearing a seatbelt, whether or not our car is in a safe condition to drive, how to keep a safe distance between ourselves and the cars around us, how to check for blindspots, when to use turn signals, and how we should pay attention to road conditions to name a few things. Also, you should expect other drivers to make mistakes and stay aware of your surroundings. Learning these tips and many others in driver’s education will help you become a safer driver. When you don’t pay attention to these details in your driving studies it’s possible that your car could become a weapon and lives are at stake.

I’ve been rear-ended a few times and fortunately, everyone was safe in the aftermath. The first time was by a driver who was in a rush and he did not take the driving instructor’s advice to leave early for wherever you were going. It was an honest but costly mistake. The next time I was in an accident, I was in a hit-and-run when I was coming back from class and the driver took zero responsibility for their actions. If something similar happens to you, do not get angry and instead just pull over until your emotions are back in check. That’s how I handled it. There were no repercussions for their actions at that moment, but that type of driving most likely gets someone into trouble eventually. The most recent time I was in a car crash was on the way to a CPR class. A fifteen-year-old with no license hit me from behind. I don’t know which crash was more shocking, the hit and run or the crash from this young girl. Luckily, I had left early that morning so I wasn’t late for where I was going and we shared information which you should always do after being in an accident. We found out later on that she had stolen her parents’ car to make matters worse.

Even if you are a good driver you may find yourself in an accident one day which is why you should always follow common sense when you are driving, stick to the rules, and stay alert on the road to become a better and safer driver. It’s always a good idea to sharpen your driving skills during and long after driving school with the introduction of the internet, as there are a ton of free resources for improving your driving. Something you should never do is drive after you’ve had even the slightest amount of alcohol. No matter what anyone says, do not get behind the wheel. This is the fastest way to get a DUI. With a DUI you may receive substantial fines, lose your license, become incarcerated, have an increased rate on your insurance, and have a permanent criminal record, or worse, you could kill someone. Make sure that you take an Uber or have a designated driver because if you don’t you could get coerced into driving under the influence. Peer pressure is real so I suggest that you grow a thick skin to avoid someone from ever convincing you to do this. It is criminal behavior and could result in you spending the rest of your life in jail. It’s not only your life on the line but it’s other peoples’ too like babies, the elderly, and parents coming home to their families just to name a few of the innocent people. They could be harmed just because they must get from one destination to another.

Cars are essential to our day-to-day living so be the change we all want to see on the road. Don’t treat driving as a race but as if you were a highly trained brain surgeon going into surgery who needed to meticulously monitor everything they were doing at a slow and steady pace. Just as surgeons go to school to make sure they don’t lose a life on the operating table and they stay up to date on best practices, so should you go to driving school and learn the ways of the road continuously to avoid any injuries or fatalities.